Humanitarian / refugee household-effects movement
Moving household effects under humanitarian / refugee resettlement: UNHCR letter, expedited customs clearance, donor-coordinated freight.
Checklist
- 01
Obtain UNHCR resettlement letter / IOM movement document. This is the primary customs-clearance credential.
- 02
Most resettlement destinations waive customs duty for refugee household-effects under TOR / specific humanitarian provisions (US, UK, Canada, Germany, Sweden).
- 03
Engage IOM partner mover or destination resettlement NGO. They coordinate freight + customs clearance.
- 04
Required documents: UNHCR / IOM letter, passport(s), I-94 / equivalent arrival document, packing list in English + destination language.
- 05
Common gotchas: cash limits still apply (USD 10,000 declaration); narcotics + weapons are not exempt; cultural heritage requires origin-country export permit (often impossible during conflict).